Wire-cable cutter



April 5, 1927. 1,623,044

J. E. BUTCHER ET AL.

WIRE CABLE CUTTER Fed Abril 29. 1926 f 6 io Il!! 1.6

alto: nu,

Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN a. BUT-CHER AND Howes-RD Blaas-als, GAMER, OKLAHOMAWIRE-CABLE CUTTER.

Aplpnation'fuea April ze, 192e. serial no; maze.

This invention relates to improvements in wire cable cutters adapted forsevering steel drilling cable or wire lines and' is especially designedfor use in connection with tools now commonly used on the derrick licorof ,drilling wells.V

I An important object of the invention resides in the production of adevice embodying engaging means for attachment to the circular track ofa well-known type of well jack and to provide cutter means slidablyarranged within the body portion of said device and operable by certainparts of said `ack. J Another ,object is to provide a device of thischaracter adaptable especially for use where well-drilling operationsare carried outl` and wherein the same may be efficiently operatedwithout the exercise of special knowledge or skill.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understoodfrom` the following detail description and accompanying drawings, inwhichl Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, the cutter memberbeing advanced. to approach the severing operation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe line 3 3 of. Fig. 1; and

Figure 4t is another plan View of the device and illustratingdiagrammatically the well jack and circular track used to facilitate theoperation of our device.

The construction and operationl of welldrlling rigs being wellunderstood by those skilled in this art it is not deemed necessary todescribe same in detail. However, since our device has been designed foruse in connection with certain parts now commonly used on the derrickfloor, attention is directed to Fig. 4 of the drawings wherein thenumeral 5 denotes the well-known floor circle having the usual trackportion, T- shaped in cross-section, the top surface thereof bearingserrations 6 which engage the heel of the jack 7 the latter beingadapted to break screw joints on drilling tools or the like by clampingthe same between the wrench posts 8. As stated hereinbefore, the aboveapparatus is already in use and obvwiously directly does not bearon ourinvention, but we have devised an arrangement for use therewith, andwhich may berconsdered in the nature of an attachment,

` Under these circumstances we naturally take advantage of the partsalready vin/use and provide a simple structure operable by said partsand positioned at a point where the Cutting operation may be mostexpeditiously performed. l

The device embodying our invention comprises a body portion 10, formedby the union of two substantially similar sections 11 andk 12, eachbeingextended laterallv adjacent thebase portionto lend rigidity to thegeneral structure and atthe same time provide suticient material tosupport a longitudinal slot or groove which together defines a T-shape'dslot in cross-section, as

shown at A13,'l*"ig`. 3. Each section is also longitudinally recessed toform the slot 14- for the reception of a cutter member 15. as willpresently appear.

Said slot 14 may terminate within the body portion, or may be continuedfrom end to end of the body portion, though our preferred structure willconform tothe oblique termination of said cutter member 15 and have aslight extension at the top, as shown at lltblto limit the slidingmovement of said cutter member after its cutting as clearly shown inFig. 1, and is also provided with a slight forward extension 15b for theobvious purpose of engaging or abutting the portion 14h and limiting theforward travel of said member. TheV outerfend of said member isvprovided vwith a head 20,

and is arcuately disposed for engagement` with the part 7 during thereciprocation of said cutter member.

In operating our device, the body portion 10is placed over the T-shapedrail 5 and if necessary the wrench post 8 maybe advanced to abut the endofthe body portion, the cutter member is now withdrawn to clear the slot17 whereupon the material to be eut is slid into said slot and finallyinto the opening 18. The jack portion 7 is advanced to engage the head2O ot said cutter member and upon manipulation ot said jack through themedium oi its socket 7 and the cooperation of its ratchet movement, asis Well understood, said cutter member is solidly and substantiallybrought against the Wire cable with suiiicient force to sever same.

While the present is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, as various changes in the minor details of construction,proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

7e claim:

l. ln a cutting device., the combination with an arcuate support havinga rail portion and a jack adjustable longitudinally thereon, a cuttermember engageable by said jack, and a two-part body portion removablymounted on the rail portion of said support, having a longitudinallyslot to slidably receive said cutter member and a second slot extendingfrom an edge of said body portion and terminating transversely throughthe iirst-mentioned slot to receive a length of cable therein.

52. In a cutting device, the combination With an arcuate support havinga rail portion and a jack adjustable longitudinally thereon, a cuttermember engageable by said jack, and a body portion comprising twosimilar sections and adapted to be removably mounted on said railportion of said support, and having a longitudinal slot to slidablyreceive said cutter, said slot terminating in a reduced socket to limitthe `iiorward travel of said cutter member, and a second slot extendingfrom an edge of said body portion in a diagonal direction andterminating transversely through the irst mentioned slot in said bodyportion to receive a length of cable therein.

In testimony whereof We aiixed our signatures.

JOHN E. BUTCHER. HOWARD B. HARRIS,

